Molten Gold: A Red Rising Fan Fiction
by Stitch D. Benjamin
Summary: Brutus au Arcos, the youngest son of Lorn au Arcos the greatest swords man the society has ever seen and standing Rage knight of the Sovereign. Brutus longs to live up to his father's legacy and yet be his own man. But Brutus holds a terrible secret between him and his father and he struggles to move forward with his life or to burn down the Golds that changed his it forever
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

 **Chapter 1**

Brutus au Arcos tosses and turns in his sleep. Slipping between dream and wake. His distorted dreams are haunting and cause regular insomnia. Brutus's ribs hurt from being held so tightly as the man stopped running. " _I need you to go and hide! Don't let them find you. Get to your…"_ BOOM! The door comes off its hinges like a rail gun releasing rounds. Two obsidian knights walk in, Pulse axes charged and menacing. They split apart to reveal the form of the Rage knight. Lorn au Arcos the greatest razor master the worlds had ever known standing before them with his razor curling from silky whip to a diamond hard sword. The man stands in front of him releasing his own razor. The Rage Knight looks down at the boy and starts toward him for a moment with the flickering light of fire coming from the hallway behind him.

In a cold sweat Brutus lurches up in his bed. The data pad on his bedside table flashes with an incoming call. His father's face and information are displayed as the incoming caller. Brutus rubs his eyes and accepts the call. _"Yes sir?"_ Brutus says looking at the frowning face of the old man on the screen. _"Brutus are you still in bed? God damn it boy get your gorydamn ass out of that bed and into the training room. Just because you won your year at the institute doesn't mean you can slack off like a gory pixie." "Yes father."_ Brutus says through a yawn. _"Will you be arriving home today sir?"_ he asks. _"Not yet. Augustus has announced his marriage to his second wife and the Sovereign wants me here to represent her. I would like you here for this event. It will be a good chance for you to be around other peerless now that you've been scarred."_ Brutus just groans as he rubs his eyes. _"Father, are you really going make me rub elbows with the Augustus family?"_ the old knight just laughs at his son. _"Be happy it's not the damn Bologna. They have two curly haired witches in their family they want me to convince you to marry. But get in the gym and train. There may come a time very soon where you'll need it with all the hurt feelings you left after your triumph."_

Brutus reflected for a moment on the boys and girls he had to enslave and humiliate at the institute to ensure his victory. _"I have the servants prepping one of the Torch ships for you, your brother, your mother, and the children. After the wedding in a few weeks, I must make the trip back to Luna and I want you all with me. The sovereign wants all the Olympic knights there for a summit and testing for 3 Olympic positions and I want a strong showing from the House Arcos."_ Brutus looked at his formal attire hanging on the wall brought in by one of the family Browns or likely his high Red attendant. _"Yes sir. I will make sure we're ready to meet you at Mars orbit."_ _"Thank you, son. Gloriam primum" "Gloriam in novissimis, father."_ Brutus replies as the COMM link closes and he stands up out of bed.

Brutus pulls a pair of loose mesh pants on and wakes the two teenage pink girls that are in his bed and gives them both a hand to brace on as the stand. He helps them both into their robes, kiss them gently and sends them to their quarters. He walks over and throws open the blinds to his window to stare at the storm in front of him. The view of Europa's ocean during one of it's amazing oceanic storms has always been one of his favorite things about this house. The raw power of the water crashing against the cliffs while the storm sons whoop and cheer on their tiny skiffs. Days like today remind Brutus of when he'd walk with his father as a boy by the Aegean ocean next to their home. Only the drive for justice and his father's teachings pushed him forward now. He's grateful to the old man for all his teachings. But at times he craves the simplicity of an average life. Nothing like the ridiculous Pixies that can never seem to control themselves, but just a nice simple life. Something that a Grey or a Green might have. A family, a home, just something he could call his own with few worries.

Twenty minutes later Brutus found himself in the training room with two of his father's legates and his brother Cato au Arcos the one closest to him in age. The eldest brother Maximus au Arcos was on Mars at their family estate with his wife and 3 children. His eldest nieces, Maximus' twin girls were preparing for the next class of the Institute and he was sure his victory wasn't making any easier on them. While training himself, all he heard from his houses golds and others was how his father and brothers had won their years, and what a horrible tragedy it would be if he were to break the successful run of Arcos champions if he were to lose. Brutus had another brother, Varius au Arcos who died in battle in front of their father's own eyes.

People who were there (Mostly gossiping Greys that Brutus had overheard or forced into telling him.) said that watching Varius fight was like an Alligator swim into a heard of wildebeests and eating them one by one before the others realized he was there. Varius was never as graceful as father in the "Willow way" but he always reminded Brutus of calm sea right before a hurricane struck. Poor old man hasn't been the same since. A little colder and little stricter in his training regiments. His desire not see his other 3 sons die, or more so to repeat having to tell their mother that another son had passed before her. Brutus had spied on the situation and it is the only time he had seen the old man cry.

Brutus pulls himself out of his thoughts and reengages his brother. Cato rolls out of a faint and takes Brutus's legs out from under him with a practice razor and puts Brutus square on his backside. Brutus gets up rubbing his butt and gives Catos a sideways look. _"That was my slagging ass you gorydamn prick lick."_ Cato just grins at him and swishes the bamboo razor that's in his hand. _"Methinks the Goodman doth protest too much. Is that how you won your year Brutus? By day dreaming and letting your guard down?"_ Brutus glares at his elder brother. _"You know as well as I do that I won by stabbing Priscilla au Iovita through the knee and then enslaving her to take over house Pluto and the rest of the Institute."_ He says while paring his brothers move and slapping Cato on the side with the flat of his practice razor.

Cato just winces as he says to his younger brother. _"it's true. You were almost as amazing I was in my year. Though you do lack my flair for style."_ Cato slaps Brutus on the back of the head with the flat of his blade, as Brutus drops down and sweeps Cato's legs out from under him then quickly regaining his footing and then points the tip of his practice razor at Cato's throat. _"Do you yield Goodman?"_ Cato just grins like the cat that ate the canary and kicks Brutus right between the legs dropping him to the floor. Cato gets to his feet and puts a hand out for Brutus. _"See brother that's your problem. You always assume everyone else is playing as fair as you."_ Brutus takes his brothers hand and stands. _"call it a draw then?"_ Brutus says and then quickly punches Cato in the nose. _"Or is that my win."_ says Brutus as he starts to leave the training room. _"Oh, and father wants us on a Torch ship and on our way to Mars orbit by end of day. So make sure you're not rubbing that wound like a little pixie before then."_

Brutus walks into a kitchen where his Mother, Sister in law (Varius' widow) and two of his nieces are busy cooking with the kitchen Browns. Brutus sweeps into a low bow. " _My gentle ladies. I come bearing news from the patriarch himself. He bids we all join him at the red planet of war for the marriage of Nero au Augustus and the make way to the shining moon of our sovereignty as a collective family."_ He looks up to see the women in the room glaring at him as he straightens forlornly until all 4 golds and 2 browns begin to laugh in hysterics at his use of Gold high lingo. His Mother looks at him with a large smile on her face. _"Would you care to translate that for those of us who don't talk like we have golden spoons jammed in their ass?"_ Brutus' mother was not a shy woman and didn't believe in in holding back on anything. Particularly when he tried to act like one of the high society Luna pixies. Brutus just glared a little embarrassedly. _"The old man wants us to leave today to meet him at Mars to go to attend Augustus's wedding as a whole family."_ His Sister in law just grins at him. _"Well why the goryhell didn't you just say so?"_ all the women in the room, low and high a like begin to laugh at Brutus' expense.

A few hours later they are all on the ship making their way for Fobos station to meet with Lorn and Maximus. Brutus was looking forward to seeing his eldest brother again. He had yet to meet his newest nephew that was born while he was away train for the institute and 4 years old by now. Brutus lay by himself in his suite listening to music in the dark room. Before going to the institute had heard a slow sad song being sung by a low Red woman as her son was hung for crimes against the Society. Ever since that time he had found himself obsessed with their songs and dance. After a bit of research, he found that it was very similar to the songs of the Irish from old Earth and since then had saved several thousand songs by ancient groups like Darby O'Gill, Flogging Molly and the Kingston trio which lead to old American folk singers that had become what Cato called his Red obsession. Brutus just always told him to go slag himself. If Cato took a little time he'd realize that some of the Red songs and dance mirrored that of Gold and a lot of the time complimented each other. Brutus couldn't count how many times his Father had yelled at him for sneaking into the high Red celebrations. Truth be told their fiery women intrigued him as much as their celebrations did.

Half way through one of his favorite vids of ancient European battles he got a knock at the door. Brutus closed the vid and walked to the door. Before he could open it Cato came strutting through. _"Well come in if you must your gory Pixie."_ Cato just sneered and flipped him the crux. _"I need some advice brother and it's a bit serious."_ Brutus wasn't sure whether to believe his brother or not. The last serious thing he came to him about was a suspicious lump near his groin. _"Listen brother I told you stop playing with those cheap pinks that hangout in those Grey slums."_ Cato flipped a lit match at him after lighting his burner. _"Shut it Pixie this is serious."_ Cato took a long drag off of his burner that smelled of mint and chocolate. _"I think I'm in love brother."_ Brutus just stood there in disbelief. _"Well I'm flattered Goodman but you're not exactly my type."_ Cato just chuckles and puts a soft punch into his brothers shoulder. _"Not with you, you gory pixie. Though you did come back with a prime ass after the Institute."_ Brutus just rolls his eyes. _"Are you going to tell me or not?"_ Cato grins sheepishly _"Priscilla au Iovita"_

" _Are you a madman?"_ Brutus says staring at his brother. _"That gory bitch nearly killed me three times. And only once was while we were at the Institute. The other two the damn brat thought that it would be funny to set her family's Hyenas on me when we were visiting her father's dock yards on Venus. Slagging bitch!"_ Brutus says as he sits down at his table where he was assembling his Razor and starting to arrange the parts. _"Still trying to make it glow brother?"_ Cato asked with slight chuckle. Brutus looked at him as he reattached his control pad to the hilt. He picked up the handle and snapped the whip to make sure everything was connecting properly. Cato took a few steps back. Brutus maybe his younger brother but he was prodigy with the razor and how to rework them to improve anyone's use of them. Brutus activated the razor and it snapped into diamond metal. He flipped it around his hand before returning it to a loose whip and securing it on his hip.

Brutus was often told that he moved like a gunfighter from the time in the Americas that were call the "old west". Brutus had studied these time frames and found that he liked these "Cowboys". For the most part they acted out of honor and they fought harder when it was for someone else or something bigger. _"I'm sorry brother."_ Brutus said to Cato while checking the holstering mechanism for his razor and sitting down to polish his armor to have ready for when they would rendezvous with their father. _"It just took me by surprise. I suppose that it shouldn't however. You always did seem to have her attention when we'd cross paths."_ Brutus looked up from his armor. _"Cato, you should really talk to father about this when we reach Fobos. He needs to know what your intentions are before you do anything."_ Cato reaches forward and softly pulls his brothers head in until their foreheads are touching. _"I knew that you'd have a hard time with this Brutus and that's why I wanted to talk to you first. But make no mistake. She does love me."_ Brutus pulls away and nods his head. _"I'm sure that she does brother. It just feels like I'm losing my last brother to the institution of marriage I will be the last standing bachelor."_

Both men wiped their eyes and looked at different points in the room. _"So what trouble should we force our brother to get into on this trip?"_ Cato asks. Brutus just shrugs and continues to polish his armor. _"I was actually thinking we get Maximus and Father to go down to earth and go on an old fashion hunt. I hear the earthen carvers have some new breeds that they've released in hunting sanctuaries in Eurasia and North Pacifica. Thought it might be fun to just be the four us hunting and sharing stories." "We just need to make sure to have plenty of Lagavulin for father and Maximus."_ Cato chuckles out andBrutus looked up from his armor at his brother and grins from ear to ear. _"Remember when he realized Varius had been giving it to us when we were kids and he made us drink till we were sick?"_ The two men laughed _"yeah until he realized we'd gone through a case and a half of his private reserve between the five of us."_ As the laughter died down the mood between the two men became more somber and both of them picked up a piece of armor and began polishing.

 _"I miss Varius. He made laugh. Hell, he made father laugh. And you'd think father was about to cry when Varius won his first dueling tournament."_ Cato says as he spits on his brother shoulder plate. _"He was the one that got me to finally understand the "Willow way". That it's about following the flow of energy not the flow of motion. Gory hell I miss that man."_ Brutus wiped a tear from his face and put down his breastplate. _"I think father needs this trip more than any of us. Varius' death is still wearing hard on him, you can see it. The old knight couldn't even bring himself to come down to castle Mars for my victory."_ Cato pulls his younger brother into an embrace with more kindness and meaning than Brutus would have thought him capable of. _"The old bastard loves you. Sometimes I think more than the rest of us. He and mother both stressed over what was happening to you in the institute and I think what you were going through made his death all that much harder."_ Cato kisses Brutus on the forehead, grabs either side of his face and looked him square in the eyes. _"I know shit is changing brother. But when it all settles I know that you will find yourself the best of all of us. There's something about you that makes you special and we've all seen it from the beginning. Now it's time for you to see it."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Part 1**

 **Chapter 1**

Brutus au Arcos tosses and turns in his sleep. Slipping between dream and wake. His distorted dreams are haunting and cause regular insomnia. Brutus's ribs hurt from being held so tightly as the man stopped running. "I need you to go and hide! Don't let them find you. Get to your…" BOOM! The door comes off its hinges like a rail gun releasing rounds. Two obsidian knights walk in, Pulse axes charged and menacing. They split apart to reveal the form of the Rage knight. Lorn au Arcos the greatest razor master the worlds had ever known standing before them with his razor curling from silky whip to a diamond hard sword. The man stands in front of him releasing his own razor. The Rage Knight looks down at the boy and starts toward him for a moment with the flickering light of fire coming from the hallway behind him.

In a cold sweat Brutus lurches up in his bed. The data pad on his bedside table flashes with an incoming call. His father's face and information are displayed as the incoming caller. Brutus rubs his eyes and accepts the call. "Yes sir?" Brutus says looking at the frowning face of the old man on the screen. "Brutus are you still in bed? God damn it boy get your gorydamn ass out of that bed and into the training room. Just because you won your year at the institute doesn't mean you can slack off like a gory pixie." "Yes father." Brutus says through a yawn. "Will you be arriving home today sir?" he asks. "Not yet. Augustus has announced his marriage to his second wife and the Sovereign wants me here to represent her. I would like you here for this event. It will be a good chance for you to be around other peerless now that you've been scarred." Brutus just groans as he rubs his eyes. "Father, are you really going to make me rub elbows with the Augustus family?" the old knight just laughs at his son. "Be happy it's not the damn Bellona. They have two curly haired witches in their family they want me to convince you to marry. But get in the gym and train. There may come a time very soon where you'll need it with all the hurt feelings you left after your triumph."

Brutus reflected for a moment on the boys and girls he had to enslave and humiliate at the institute to ensure his victory. "I have the servants prepping one of the Torch ships for you, your brother, your mother, and the children. After the wedding in a few weeks, I must make the trip back to Luna and I want you all with me. The sovereign wants all the Olympic knights there for a summit and testing for 3 Olympic positions and I want a strong showing from the House Arcos." Brutus looked at his formal attire hanging on the wall brought in by one of the family Browns or likely his high Red attendant. "Yes sir. I will make sure we're ready to meet you at Mars orbit." "Thank you, son. Gloriam primum" "Gloriam in novissimis, father." Brutus replies as the COMM link closes and he stands up out of bed.

Brutus pulls a pair of loose mesh pants on and wakes the two teenage Pink girls that are in his bed and gives them both a hand to brace on as the stand. He helps them both into their robes, kiss them gently and sends them to their quarters. He walks over and throws open the blinds to his window to stare at the storm in front of him. The view of Europa's ocean during one of it's amazing oceanic storms has always been one of his favorite things about this house. The raw power of the water crashing against the cliffs while the storm sons whoop and cheer on their tiny skiffs. Days like today remind Brutus of when he'd walk with his father as a boy by the Aegean ocean next to their home. Only the drive for justice and his father's teachings pushed him forward now. He's grateful to the old man for all his teachings. But at times he craves the simplicity of an average life. Nothing like the ridiculous Pixies that can never seem to control themselves, but just a nice simple life. Something that a Grey or a Green might have. A family, a home, just something he could call his own with few worries.

Twenty minutes later Brutus found himself in the training room with two of his father's legates and his brother Cato au Arcos the one closest to him in age. The eldest brother Maximus au Arcos was on Mars at their family estate with his wife and 3 children. His eldest nieces, Maximus' twin girls were preparing for the next class of the Institute and he was sure his victory wasn't making any easier on them. While training himself, all he heard from his houses golds and others was how his father and brothers had won their years, and what a horrible tragedy it would be if he were to break the successful run of Arcos champions if he were to lose. Brutus had another brother, Varius au Arcos who died in battle in front of their father's own eyes.

People who were there (mostly gossiping Greys that Brutus had overheard or forced into telling him) said that watching Varius fight was like watching an alligator swim into a herd of wildebeests and eating them one by one before the others realized he was there. Varius was never as graceful as father in the "Willow way" but he always reminded Brutus of a calm sea right before a hurricane struck. Poor old man hasn't been the same since. A little colder and little stricter in his training regimen. His desire not to see his other 3 sons die, or more so to repeat having to tell their mother that another son had passed before her. Brutus had spied on the situation and it is the only time he had seen the old man cry.

Brutus pulls himself out of his thoughts and re-engages his brother. Cato rolls out of a faint and takes Brutus's legs out from under him with a practice razor and puts Brutus square on his backside. Brutus gets up rubbing his butt and gives Catos a sideways look. "That was my slagging ass you gorydamn prick lick." Cato just grins at him and swishes the bamboo razor that's in his hand. "Methinks the Goodman doth protest too much. Is that how you won your year Brutus? By day dreaming and letting your guard down?" Brutus glares at his elder brother. "You know as well as I do that I won by stabbing Priscilla au Iovita through the knee and then enslaving her to take over house Pluto and the rest of the Institute." He says while pairing his brothers move and slapping Cato on the side with the flat of his practice razor.

Cato just winces as he says to his younger brother. "it's true. You were almost as amazing I was in my year. Though you do lack my flair for style." Cato slaps Brutus on the back of the head with the flat of his blade, as Brutus drops down and sweeps Cato's legs out from under him then quickly regaining his footing and then points the tip of his practice razor at Cato's throat. "Do you yield Goodman?" Cato just grins like the cat that ate the canary and kicks Brutus right between the legs dropping him to the floor. Cato gets to his feet and puts a hand out for Brutus. "See brother that's your problem. You always assume everyone else is playing as fair as you." Brutus takes his brothers hand and stands. "call it a draw then?" Brutus says and then quickly punches Cato in the nose. "Or is that my win." says Brutus as he starts to leave the training room. "Oh, and father wants us on a Torch ship and on our way to Mars orbit by end of day. So make sure you're not rubbing that wound like a little pixie before then."

Brutus walks into a kitchen where his Mother, sister in law (Varius' widow) and two of his nieces are busy cooking with the kitchen Browns. Brutus sweeps into a low bow. "My gentle ladies. I come bearing news from the patriarch himself. He bids we all join him at the red planet of war for the marriage of Nero au Augustus and the make way to the shining moon of our sovereignty as a collective family." He looks up to see the women in the room glaring at him as he straightens forlornly until all four golds and two browns begin to laugh in hysterics at his use of Gold high lingo. His Mother looks at him with a large smile on her face. "Would you care to translate that for those of us who don't talk like we have golden spoons jammed in their ass?" Brutus' mother was not a shy woman and didn't believe in in holding back on anything. Particularly when he tried to act like one of the high society Luna pixies. Brutus just glared a little embarrassedly. "The old man wants us to leave today to meet him at Mars to go to attend Augustus's wedding as a whole family." His sister in law just grins at him. "Well why the goryhell didn't you just say so?" all the women in the room, low and high a like begin to laugh at Brutus' expense.

A few hours later they are all on the ship making their way for Fobos station to meet with Lorn and Maximus. Brutus was looking forward to seeing his eldest brother again. He had yet to meet his newest nephew that was born while he was away train for the institute and 4 years old by now. Brutus lay by himself in his suite listening to music in the dark room. Before going to the institute had heard a slow sad song being sung by a low Red woman as her son was hung for crimes against the Society. Ever since that time he had found himself obsessed with their songs and dance. After a bit of research, he found that it was very similar to the songs of the Irish from old Earth and since then had saved several thousand songs by ancient groups like Darby O'Gill, Flogging Molly and the Kingston trio which lead to old American folk singers that had become what Cato called his Red obsession. Brutus just always told him to go slag himself. If Cato took a little time he'd realize that some of the Red songs and dance mirrored that of Gold and a lot of the time complimented each other. Brutus couldn't count how many times his Father had yelled at him for sneaking into the high Red celebrations. Truth be told their fiery women intrigued him as much as their celebrations did.

Half way through one of his favorite vids of ancient European battles he got a knock at the door. Brutus closed the vid and walked to the door. Before he could open it Cato came strutting through. "Well come in if you must your gory Pixie." Cato just sneered and flipped him the crux. "I need some advice brother and it's a bit serious." Brutus wasn't sure whether to believe his brother or not. The last serious thing he came to him about was a suspicious lump near his groin. "Listen brother I told you stop playing with those cheap Pinks that hangout in those Grey slums." Cato flipped a lit match at him after lighting his burner. "Shut it Pixie this is serious." Cato took a long drag off of his burner that smelled of mint and chocolate. "I think I'm in love brother." Brutus just stood there in disbelief. "Well I'm flattered Goodman but you're not exactly my type." Cato just chuckles and puts a soft punch into his brothers shoulder. "Not with you, you gory pixie. Though you did come back with a prime ass after the Institute." Brutus just rolls his eyes. "Are you going to tell me or not?" Cato grins sheepishly "Priscilla au Iovita"

"Are you a madman?" Brutus says staring at his brother. "That gory bitch nearly killed me three times. And only once was while we were at the Institute. The other two the damn brat thought that it would be funny to set her family's Hyenas on me when we were visiting her father's dockyards on Venus. Slagging bitch!" Brutus says as he sits down at his table where he was assembling his Razor and starting to arrange the parts. "Still trying to make it glow brother?" Cato asked with slight chuckle. Brutus looked at him as he reattached his control pad to the hilt. He picked up the handle and snaps the whip to make sure everything was connecting properly. Cato took a few steps back. Brutus maybe his younger brother but he was prodigy with the razor and how to rework them to improve anyone's use of them. Brutus activated the razor and it snapped into diamond metal. He flipped it around his hand before returning it to a loose whip and securing it on his hip.

Brutus was often told that he moved like a gunfighter from the time in the Americas that were call the "old west". Brutus had studied these time frames and found that he liked these "Cowboys". For the most part they acted out of honor and they fought harder when it was for someone else or something bigger. "I'm sorry brother." Brutus said to Cato while checking the holstering mechanism for his razor and sitting down to polish his armor to have ready for when they would rendezvous with their father. "It just took me by surprise. I suppose that it shouldn't however. You always did seem to have her attention when we'd cross paths." Brutus looked up from his armor. "Cato, you should really talk to father about this when we reach Fobos. He needs to know what your intentions are before you do anything." Cato reaches forward and softly pulls his brothers head in until their foreheads are touching. "I knew that you'd have a hard time with this Brutus and that's why I wanted to talk to you first. But make no mistake. She does love me." Brutus pulls away and nods his head. "I'm sure that she does brother. It just feels like I'm losing my last brother to the institution of marriage I will be the last standing bachelor."

Both men wiped their eyes and looked at different points in the room. "So what trouble should we force our brother to get into on this trip?" Cato asks. Brutus just shrugs and continues to polish his armor. "I was actually thinking we get Maximus and Father to go down to earth and go on an old fashion hunt. I hear the earthen carvers have some new breeds that they've released in hunting sanctuaries in Eurasia and North Pacifica. Thought it might be fun to just be the four us hunting and sharing stories." "We just need to make sure to have plenty of Lagavulin for father and Maximus." Cato chuckles out and Brutus looked up from his armor at his brother and grins from ear to ear. "Remember when he realized Varius had been giving it to us when we were kids and he made us drink till we were sick?" The two men laughed "yeah until he realized we'd gone through a case and a half of his private reserve between the five of us." As the laughter died down the mood between the two men became more somber and both of them picked up a piece of armor and began polishing.

"I miss Varius. He made me laugh. Hell, he made father laugh. And you'd think father was about to cry when Varius won his first dueling tournament." Cato says as he spits on his brother shoulder plate. "He was the one that got me to finally understand the "Willow way". That it's about following the flow of energy not the flow of motion. Gory hell I miss that man." Brutus wiped a tear from his face and put down his breastplate. "I think father needs this trip more than any of us. Varius' death is still wearing hard on him, you can see it. The old knight couldn't even bring himself to come down to castle Mars for my victory." Cato pulls his younger brother into an embrace with more kindness and meaning than Brutus would have thought him capable of. "The old bastard loves you. Sometimes I think more than the rest of us. He and mother both stressed over what was happening to you in the institute and I think what you were going through made his death all that much harder." Cato kisses Brutus on the forehead, grabs either side of his face and looked him square in the eyes. "I know shit is changing brother. But when it all settles I know that you will find yourself the best of all of us. There's something about you that makes you special and we've all seen it from the beginning. Now it's time for you to see it."


End file.
